Presupposition Triggers and English Reading Comprehension in NETEM

Zhang Xinwen

【Abstract】After briefly introducing presupposition and its types， this article principally analyzes the application of presupposition triggers in NETEM incorporating change-of-state verbs， verbs of judging and wh-question. The conclusion is that knowing the information pragmatic triggers presuppose and locating the triggers can be very beneficial to candidates.

【Key words】Presupposition； reading comprehension in NETEM； application

1. Introduction

In recent years， a handful of scholars have not only differently categorized both types of presupposition and presupposition triggers but also have studied the presupposition in sentences， paragraphs and passages. The application of presupposition in the English reading comprehension in NETEM also needs a further study. This article aims at studying the application of presupposition triggers to the reading comprehension in NETEM so as to help candidates improve the reading efficiency and enhance the reading comprehension ability to some extent.

2. Presupposition

2.1 Presuppositions Definition

First proposed by German philosopher Frege in the field of philosophy in 1892， “presupposition is something the speaker assumes to be the case prior to making an utterance” （Yule 25）.

2.2 Presupposition Types

According to George Yule， the pragmatic presupposition encompasses existential presupposition， factive presupposition， non-factive presupposition， lexical presupposition， structural presupposition and counterfactual presupposition （27-30）.

2.3 Presupposition Triggers

The presupposition is related to the use of a large number of words， phrases and structures （Yule 27）. He Ziran categorizes the presupposition triggers into three types. Verbs （including implicative verbs， factive and predicative adjectives， change-of-state verbs and verbs of judging） belong to the first type， iteratives and adjuncts the second type and phrases and clauses the third type. He also points out that clauses encompass temporal clauses， non-restrictive relative clauses， comparisons， cleft sentences， questions and so on（117-119）. This article would capitalize on He Zirans study to analyze presupposition triggers in reading comprehension in NETEM， especially change-of-state verbs， verbs of judging and wh-question.

3. Presupposition Triggers and Reading Comprehension in NETEM

3.1 Analysis of Reading Comprehension in NETEM

Texts in NETEM are all from literature in English speaking countries， such as Economics， the Observer， Times and The Guardian， possessing timeliness and covering various aspects. Expositions and argumentation are the two main types of texts where examiners often capitalize on multiple complex sentences， elliptical sentences， inverted sentences， double negative sentences and so on to distinguish the capacity of candidates， which undoubtedly makes the reading comprehension in NETEM rather difficult for candidates（ Run Baohua 2007）.

3.2 Effects of Presupposition Triggers in English Reading Comprehension

The author observes that some training institutions require their members to quickly locate some words or phrases in order to figure out the authors ideas and the associations among sentences. In practice， readers all too often capitalize on manifold triggers， words， phrases and structures， to understand writers real meanings. No matter how difficult the texts are， its of vital importance for candidates to correctly understand the information triggers presuppose so as to improve the reading ability and efficiency.

4. Analysis of Presupposition Triggers in Reading Comprehension in NETEM

4.1 Change-of-state Verbs in Reading Comprehension in NETEM

Change-of-state verbs belonging to the triggers of lexical presupposition reflect the changes of situations or attitudes and have been frequently examed. According to the research of Xie Yinggunag（2003）， the author finds several examples demonstrated in Table 1. All the change-of-state verbs are underlined.

Here is an example of applying this kind of trigger into reading.

“There has been a sea change over the last 10 years. Marketing used to be almost a dirty word in higher education.” （NETEM， 2006， text3， para.2）

32. It is implied that one of the most significant changes in higher education in the past decade is （ ）

A. the brand B. the college names

C. the concept of marketing D. list of majors

The answer should be C. “Used to” as a trigger of lexical presupposition can be found in this sentence. “Marketing used to be almost a dirty word in higher education.” >> Marketing was disdained by the higher education in the past. Namely， higher education circle has changed its views towards marketing.

Whats more， the change-of-state verbs can be also functioned as the transition. However， some of these words like “used to” is often hard to recognize. When candidates read the articles， theyd better quickly locate these triggers and pay more attention to the information before and after these triggers in order to improve the reading efficiency.

4.2 Verbs of Judging in Reading Comprehension in NETEM

Verbs of judging is one of the triggers of factive presupposition and have been frequently examed. The sentences containing verbs of judging directly embody the writers views or other peoples ones sometimes supporting the writers opinions. The author finds some examples based on the research Jin Nana（2009） and presented in Table 2. All the verbs of judging are underlined.

Here is an example of applying this kind of trigger into reading.

“This speeding up of life， says the Futurist， requires a new form of expression.” （NETEM， 2000， text 3， para. 2）

11. Futurists claim that we must（ ）

A. increase the production of literature

B. use poetry to relieve modern stress

C. develop new modes of expression

D. avoid using adjectives and verbs

The answer should be C. “Says” is a trigger of a factive presupposition. “This speeding up of life， says the Futurist， requires a new form of expression.” >> This speeding up of life requires a new form of expression. Moreover， “Futurists claim”and “a new form of expression” respectively paraphrases “says the Futurist” and “new modes of expression”.

On finding this kind of trigger in the text， candidates would be better underline or circle these words to quickly figure out the writers or other peoples views.

4.3 Wh-question in Reading Comprehension in Reading Comprehension in NETEM

Wh-question constitutes the triggers of structural presupposition. Some examples are presented in Table 3.

Here is an example of applying this kind of trigger into reading.

“Why do so many American distrust what they read in their newspaper？ The American Society of Newspaper Editor is trying to answer this painful question.” （NETEM， 2001， text3， para. 1）

59. What is the passage mainly about？ （ ）

A. Needs of the readers all over the world

B. Causes of the public disappointment about newspapers

C. Origins of the declining newspaper industry

D. Aims of a journalism credibility project

The answer should be B. “Why do so many American distrust what they read in their newspaper？” is the structural presupposition. “Why do so many American distrust what they read in their newspaper？” So many American distrust what they read in their newspaper. Moreover， “disappointment” is the paraphrase of “distrust”.

Wh-question should be laid emphasis on by candidates， because sometimes it marks the main idea of a passage or a paragraph. Specifically， if a wh-question is the first sentence of the first passage， the information of the wh-form is true and is the main idea of the passage， whereas if a wh-question is the first sentence of other paragraphs， the information after wh-form tends to be the main idea of that paragraph.

5. Conclusion

In a nutshell， its easy for us to arrive at conclusions that knowing information triggers presuppose and locating triggers in texts could help candidates interpret information properly and quickly and to some extent improve the reading efficiency and comprehension ability.

References：

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作者簡介：張馨文（1994.08-），女，四川省綿陽人，南充市順慶區(qū)西華師范大學(xué)英語（師范）專業(yè)，本科生。